LETU to add new health degree

LeTourneau University plans to launch a new bachelor’s degree program in Health Information Systems, beginning Fall 2012.
The program is pending approval from the Council of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
This new program, which is available both in classes on campus and fully online, applies computer science to the health care field. This new degree seeks to fill the growing need in health care for professionals who have computer science training and experience and who can manage and maintain both software and hardware systems effectively. This new degree takes an interdisciplinary approach to a computer science degree, combining courses in computer science, business, and health care management. Graduates from this program will be able to answer the growing need for employees able to fill roles in computerizing patient information, clinical informational technology jobs, and other healthcare technology positions.
“It’s no secret that healthcare is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States,” said Dr. Larry Frazier, LETU’s dean of Arts and Sciences. “While we often think of doctors and nurses, we fail to recognize that every healthcare facility will require a staff of computer experts, who can maintain the facility’s technical infrastructure.”
Employment in the field of health information management is projected to grow faster than average; with overall health management employment expected to grow 16% by 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This means approximately 45,400 additional positions in health care management including health information systems will be created, Frazier said. Federal law requires that computerization of patient information must be secure, and the health care industry will require managers with a solid background in health, business and computer science to integrate and implement new technologies.